The Argument
by yumi michiyo
Summary: Ron says something to Hermione that he regrets. Harry goes to comfort her. A little fluffy, with a big feelgood factor.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Let's see, I am not wealthier than the Queen (checks off list), I do not live in England (check) and my name is not J.K. Rowling (looks at list in dismay and crumples it into a paper ball). Therefore I do not own Harry Potter.

**Author's Note:** This is my first published fic but I have written quite a number by hand. I carry them around with me and every now and then write a few paragraphs. One-shot Harry/Hermione fic! Rated T for attempted suicide. Oh, and this story is from Harry's POV. Don't review if you thought it was crap.

I was heading back to Gryffindor Tower after studying alone in the library. Once Ron and Hermione got together two weeks ago, I've been leaving them together and being by myself most of the time. Though they've tried to keep the Golden Trio together, it's uncomfortable for me to be with them. I don't want to be the third wheel in their relationship, and besides, I don't find it easy to sit there and watch them snog. Other than that, I'm really happy for them 'cause they've taken their relationship to the next level.

Then again, they aren't exactly a match made in heaven. Their already legendary rows have flared up so much, they empty the Common Room in a matter of seconds. Talk about your tempestuous romances. One moment they're snogging on the couch, the next, they're shouting at each other. The rows always end with Hermione in tears and Ron in a sulk. A bit later on, they kiss and make up and repeat the whole damn cycle all over again.

I know I shouldn't feel like this, but every time I see Hermione in floods, a tiny twinge of anger at Ron fills my chest for hurting her like that. I keep telling myself it's just my strong bond with Hermione which causes me to feel that. Hermione and I have been through a lot together. Being the prime target for Lord Voldemort brings a lot of dangerous repercussions to the people around me. The people I care for. So far, Hermione's been Petrified and badly injured by a Death Eater because of me. Not to mention the number of times she's broken school rules and the massive amount of cuts, bruises and various miscellany.

As my mind reflected back on events past, I arrived at the portrait of the Fat Lady which guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor Dormitory. I had just opened my mouth to ssay the password when the painting exploded outwards (The Fat Lady shrieked in fright) and a mass of bushy brown hair obscured my vision for the second time in my life just as something hit me in the chest very hard.

I lost my balance and toppled over backwards, Hermione crashing down with me on my torso. 'Sorry, Harry!' she blurted, her face streaked with tears. Hermione stumbled to her feet and fled down the corridor, her sobs echoing through the deserted corridors. A part of me wanted to follow her but the other part warned me not to get involved in the already complex love-life of my two best friends.Brushing the dust of my robes, I got to my feet and faced the Fat Lady's portrait. She was staring after Hermione with an indignant look on her face.

'My dear! Such impudence!' huffed the Fat Lady.

'Sorry, she's a little upset.' I attempted to excuse her behaviour. Must have been another of those blazing lover's tiffs. Although in Ron's and Hermione's case, I would say lover's wars.

'Upset! Humph!' Without waiting for me to give her the password, she swung forward and admitted me into the Common Room. It was empty (I expected it to be) except for Ron sitting in his favorite red squashy armchair by the fire, staring moodily into the depths of the flickering flames. Normally, I would have gone upstairs but something about the slightly shell-shocked look Ron wore compelled me to take a seat next to him.

'What happened?' I asked cautiously. He cast me an odd look from the corner of his eye.

'Hermione and I broke up.'

'What!' I recoiled bodily, staring at him. Ron's face was drawn and expressionless.

'Yes, we did. Don't look so shocked. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Look at us argue.' He gave a constricted laugh.

'What the hell happened just now?'

'We were arguing over something trivial - I can't remember what it was -Anyway, the long and short of it was I really lost my temper and called her- called her a…' His voice trailed off and he buried his face in his hands.

I waited patiently, the blood pumping in my ears. Ron finally lifted his head from his hands and faced me with a tear-streaked face, tears of regret. 'I called her a filthy Mudblood.'

Cliffhanger! Next chapter will be up when I have the time!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: (J.K. Rowling is sitting in her office writing the seventh book when her hand suddenly shoots to a pen and some paper.)

**J.K**: What's happening! I…I feel the urge to sign away the ownership of Harry Potter to pumpkin-pie-princess1990!

(Elsewhere, the afore-mentioned person is manipulating a small doll that looks suspiciously like Rowling.)

**pumpkin-pie-princess1990**: Heh heh heh…Soon Harry Potter will be mine. _All_ mine! WAHAHAHA!

As so obviously shown above, I do not own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling does. (Lucky woman.)

**Author's Note**: First of all, I'd like to shout out a great big Thank You from the rooftops to _TwoSweet4Words _and _musiclife91 _for sending me my very first reviews! You guys rock!

Here's Chapter 2 of **_The Argument_**! Sorry for the delay in updating (cringes in corner as various objects are being hurled at self).

There was a dead silence as I sucked in a deep breath and struggled to keep calm. Ron was still staring miserably into the fire. 'Go on, say it.' he muttered.

'Ron, you are a bloody…_idiot_.' I snarled through gritted teeth, keeping in mind our friendship.

'I know.'

I didn't realize I was clutching the sides of his armchair so hard my knuckles were white. 'What happened then?' I asked carefully, watching Ron and trying very hard not imagine my fingers curling around his neck. He's my best friend, after all. Maybe was.

He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. 'Well…Hermione went very pale, then she told me in this…_cold_…voice that she and I were through. After that she ran out the portrait hole.'

'And you didn't go after her?' I said incredulously.

'I…just couldn't.'

'Hermione's your _girlfriend_, for Merlin's sake!'

'Was,' he smiled bitterly. 'I don't blame her, anyway. Only Malfoy calls her a filthy Mudblood, and only during **special** occasions.'

I threw up my hands in frustration. 'One day, Ron, that fat mouth of yours is going to get you in into deep water. Up to your fricking eyebrows.'

'I don't doubt it, Harry.'

I stormed upstairs, knowing full well what effect that phrase had Hermione and suddenly fearing for her well-being. She had always been rather highly strung, almost certainly from all that academic pressure and Malfoy. Her recent tempestuous relationship with Ron made for a potent mix. I practically tore my trunk apart, digging for my Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders' Map.

When I descended the stairs, Ron was still sitting in the same position I had left him in. He didn't even look up as I disappeared out the portrait hole and was gone.

Outside, I raced around the corner, away from the outraged cries of the Fat Lady (Hey! No students out of bed at this hour! Come back here this instant!) and took out the ragged piece of parchment.

'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.'

Spreading the Map out on the floor, I scrutinized every inch of the castle. Much to my relief, Snape was flitting about in the dungeons like the great overgrown bat he was. All of the other teachers on night patrol were a good distance from the little ink dot labeled 'Harry Potter' which left me free to – Uh oh.

An unmoving dot in the tallest tower of Hogwarts castle caught my eye. Shit. Hermione wouldn't be as stupid as to – The little black dot started to move. Towards the window…I felt as though the bottom had dropped out of my stomach and there was a vice grip on my heart.

Silently, I begged Hermione not to do it. I wasn't even aware of breaking into a run, skidding crazily through the corridors and causing suits of enchanted armor to clank with fright. Panting and gasping for breath, I arrived at the door of the Astronomy Tower and flung it open. Hermione was there, perching on the windowsill with her knees drawn up to her chin.

I tossed my Cloak and Map to the side and locked the door. 'Hermione.'

She stared vacantly in my general direction with strangely unfocused eyes. 'Hi Harry.'

I raised both my hands, palms up in the universal gesture for peace. 'Don't do this, 'Mione.'

There was a horrible icy-cold feeling of dread trickling down my spine. She smiled absently. 'Do what, Harry?' There was something about the nonchalant tone of her voice which was scaring me.

'You know what I mean. Get away from the window.'

'Oh? And then what? Back to my life? With the bloody racist pure-bloods?'

'I'm sure Ron didn't mean to call you that – '

'Yeah, right. You know, I thought I knew Ron. I totally didn't know he felt that way. Well, isn't it for the best? He'll never need to see me again and I…I'll be at rest.'

She shifted slightly and my heart gave a mad flip. 'What about your parents? Don't you care about them?'

Hermione refused to answer, looking out the window at the starless night. I took that opportunity to shuffle few inches closer. I decided to try a different tack since I knew virtually nothing about Hermione's parents except they were Muggle dentists.

'What about me? You and Ron are my best friends and we've known each other since first year. _I _care about you.'

Hermione turned her face towards me and the candlelight caught her tears. 'Ron said he cared about me. Ron said he loved me. Then he calls me a filthy Mudblood. How about you, Harry? Are you going to tell me the truth about what you really feel for me? Shame, perhaps at associating with a lowly Muggleborn?'

My heart ached for her and I longed to find the words to comfort her. 'It's not like that, Hermione,' I said soothingly, quietly moving forward a couple of inches. 'Why don't you come down from there and we can talk.'

I stretched out my arms towards her, racking my brains desperately for something which would make her abandon her suicidal intentions. Her hazel eyes softened and she shifted inwards. Just as I thought the danger was past, Hermione's eyes flashed and she shrank away from me, teetering dangerously over the edge.

'No! I won't be deceived anymore! Goodbye, Ha – '

Immediately, my Quidditch training kicked in and making a spectacular dive, seized the back of her robes and pulled her back in. We both toppled over onto the clod stone floor, Hermione on top of me. My arms instinctively shot out and wrapped themselves around her chest, pinning her arms to her side. Hermione struggled furiously against my grip, lashing out viciously at thin air.

I managed to get into a kneeling position, still clutching her tightly to my chest and leaned my face against her head, saying all sorts of stupid, soothing-sounding things in a major effort to get her to calm down. Eventually she slumped in my grasp, all the manic energy gone out of her and began crying softly. I stroked her hair, still saying the same old stuff over and over again. Corny as it was, it seemed to be actually working.

After quite a length of time, Hermione stopped crying. I smiled gently and mopped her face with the sleeve of my robes.

'Feel better?'

'Yes.'

Looking at her swollen eyes and tear-stained face, I felt an annoying tug at my heart.

'Sorry about that, Harry. I guess I was over-reacting.'

'It's OK. Anytime.' I said with a deadpan expression as though stopping heartbroken teenage girls from committing suicide was something I did on a daily basis. She laughed and slowly disengaged from my arms. We sat side-by-side against the stone wall of the Astronomy Tower without speaking.

**Author's Note: **Well, Hermione's safe. The shipping will pop up in the next chapter and that's a promise! Chapter 3 will be the last chapter for this story and it will be on in a couple of days or sooner. I finished this chappie in 2 hours (smiles and prances about room). I'm having my school hols now! Yay for me! If you like my writing, I'll be posting a one-shot Harry/Hermione fic soon, only I can't think of a title. It centres on Ron Hedwig, Crookshanks and Pigwidgeon. Any suggestions?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **(**J.K. Rowling** is marching up a quiet street, followed by an army of policemen. She catches sight of **pumpkin-pie-princess1990** and points a trembling, outraged finger at her.)

**Rowling:** That's her! She's the one who's going around telling everybody she owns Harry Potter!

(**pumpkin-pie-princess1990 **breaks into a run, pursued by the army of policemen.)

**Lieutenant:** What's the big idea, then? Don't you know you don't own Harry Potter!

**pumpkin-pie-princess1990: **Well, now I know I don't. J.K. Rowling does, OK! Now put those lawsuits away!

**Author's Note: **This is the FINAL chapter (which means I won't be keeping you guys in suspense any more. Muahahahaha.). With much love and gratitude for **TooSweet4Words** and **musiclife91 **for reviewing (again).

I was starting to relax and enjoy the sensation of having a warm body resting close to mine when Hermione broke the comfortable silence.

'Thanks for finding me, Harry.'

'You're welcome,' I replied somewhat bemusedly. 'You don't have to thank me or anything, Hermione, you know I would look for you when I think you need someone to be there.'

The words had only just left my mouth when my cheeks reddened. Merlin, I sounded like a dolt. She gave me an odd glance and leaned her head on my shoulder, causing a paroxysm of excitement tingling up my spine.

'I just realized something.'

'What?'

'You were also the one who rescued me from that troll in first year.' My eyes widened and to my mortal embarrassment, felt my face grow hotter.

'Ron was with me! We were in it together! We – Why are you laughing?'

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand in a feeble attempt to suppress her giggles. 'Do you know you look adorable when you're flustered?'

'I…I do?'

I rubbed the back of my neck self-consciously, feeling that funny swooping feeling in my stomach.

'Yeah, and you look sweet too when you're confused. Especially that time last year when I was advising you on handling Cho.'

'I said I didn't think you're ugly.' I said rather confidently. I still think so, I thought. Hermione smiled one of her beautiful smiles with her eyes sparkling and her moist, red lips slightly parted – I mentally slapped myself.

_She's _Hermione, chided my brain.

_So what?_ I argued.

_So? She's your best _friendF-r-i-e-n-d. _And besides, she's already got a_ _boyfriend._

_They broke up._

_You know how their relationship is like. They'll have forgotten it in the morning and I bet that Firebolt they'll be snogging each other over breakfast in the throes of burning passion._

_Hey, what do you know about Ron and Hermione?_

_I'm your _brain_, stupid. Besides, Hermione sees you only as her best friend, Harry. Not Harry Potter, Hogwarts sex god, Quidditch superstar _and_ available to boot._

_You're wrong! _I protested silently.

'Harry?' I was abruptly aware of a hand waving in front of my face.

'Sorry. Was just thinking about something else.'

Annoying and prissy as my brain was, its logic was inescapable. Hermione and I had scarcely anything in common. I wasn't as smart as Hermione was. I didn't possess the stamina for extended study sessions in the library. I preferred flying and feeling the fresh wind whip in my hair, most unlike Hermione who found keeping her feet planted firmly on the ground much more attractive. Of the three of us, she was the voice of reason, the level-headed one. I was the one who was Voldemort's emotion transmitter and I had a reputation for losing my temper and snapping at hapless people.

My shoulders slumped in disappointment. We were as different as night and day. But still – if I felt this way – now I knew what were those weird feelings – I had to know – The words and questions swirled around my brain crazily even as I felt a growing surge of hope rising in my heart. I just had to ask her.

'Hermione?' She yawned and turned her head to face me sleepily.

'What, Harry?'

'I…I want to ask for…err…_relationship_ advice.'

'Go ahead.' She was watching me carefully, her face set and serious.

'There's this girl whom I really, _really_ like. I think I might even love her. She's…incredibly beautiful, witty, charming, kind, caring and smart.'

'Tell her how you feel, Harry. Love is a powerful word. For all you know, the both of you might only have a short-lived relationship.' Hermione's face was an impenetrable mask and I was unable to discern her emotions.

'It's really hard because I – I don't know if she feels the same way about me. She might even find me unattractive.'

'Come on, Harry! Which girl wouldn't dream of being your girlfriend? Look at you, you're handsome, you're good in Quidditch, intelligent…'

I wrung my hands. This was becoming complicated and I was afraid I would lose my nerve.

'It's not that simple. She knows who I am but I don't think she sees me as a potential boyfriend.'

Hermione laughed softly. 'How would you know if you don't tell her how you feel about her? At least, if she doesn't feel the same way, you can move on with your life.'

'I don't want to ruin my friendship with her!' I blurted.

'If you don't ask, you won't know.'

We fell silent, giving me time to agonize over my dilemma: tell Hermione and get a straight answer, or spend the rest of life regretting my decision?

_She's right, you know, _remarked my ever-tactful brain.

_I didn't ask for _your_ opinion._

'Out of curiosity, who's the lucky girl?' asked Hermione, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. This was it. I took a deep breath and stared her straight in the eye, trying my utmost best not to be lost in her soft, deep hazel pools.

'It's you.'

A sharp intake of breath greeted my reply. Hermione was staring back at me with an unreadable expression on her face. A powerful emotion swirled round my entire body as I waited with bated breath for her answer.

'I love you too, Harry.'

Slowly, our faces drew closer as though pulled by a magnet and when my lips met hers, an explosion took place in my head, sending crackles of fierce electricity jolting down my spine. Her hands reached around my neck just as mine wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her closer to me. I forgot everything else, Ron, being in the Astronomy Tower, the danger of being caught, all other things seemed trivial at this moment.

When we finally parted, she rested her head in the hollow of my neck, my arms loosely draped around her slender form.

'What's going to happen between you and Ron?' I asked.

Hurt and pain suddenly welled up in those beautiful brown eyes and I bit my lip. 'He…he really hurt me, Harry. I just don't know. I need to think about it.'

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 'Whatever you choose, Hermione, I just want you to know I'll always be here for you.'

Outside, a few solitary rays of sunlight streaked across the inky sky. The ever-present threat of Voldemort was lifted for the time being and all that mattered to me now was the young witch at my side. A new day was dawning.

**Author's Note II: **THE END! That's it, the end of my very first fic! (Gives self a big hug) I will be posting a new fic very soon! Read it if you like my work!

Oh, would anyone like me to continue this fic? Review and tell me what you think!


	4. Author's Note

Hi everybody!

I am SO sorry I haven't updated or posted ANYTHING for months but I have been very busy preparing for my GCE 'O's. (I'm really jealous of Emma Watson's results.) My exams end on the 16th of November and I PROMISE (that is definitely a Promise with a capital P) that I will start posting after that day.

Currently, my mum has confiscated my laptop (I'm writing this on a school computer) but when I have the time, I scribble story ideas on bits of paper. They're just waiting for me to sit down and turn them into a spanking great story.

So, bear with me! I will be back and I will be posting soon!

Love, pumpkinpieprincess1990

P.S. Love and hugs to all those who rated my fic as a favourite and those who put me on Author Alert. I am not worthy… Sniffles and dabs tears


	5. The Morning After

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter! However, I DO own your souls! Muahahahaha! (Just kidding…maybe.)

**Author's Note: **I first started this story in May and then vanished from the face of Earth without completing it. Haha! Before you reach for your flamethrowers (and scorch the pants off me) I have a perfectly good reason. You see, in Singapore, all 16-year-olds must sit for the GCSE 'O' Levels. I believe I have mentioned this in an earlier post (Author's Note). It is because of this wretched exam that my laptop has been confiscated and I have been banned from writing anymore FanFiction. Thus, my life is hell. But now I am BACK!! Yes! Lock your doors, keep your children close and have your musket ready. And now… the last chapter of The Argument!

Just as the sun rose majestically into the sky, Hermione shifted a little at my side.

'Harry?'

'Hmm?'

'Don't you think we had better get back to Gryffindor Tower now?' she asked, a small frown on her face. I put on my best 'Aw-do-we-have-to' pout.

'But why? Isn't it nice and cozy right here with me?'

Hermione responded with an accurate imitation of Professor McGonagall's death glare, so realistic, I actually shuffled backward hastily.

'You know very well why, Harry James Potter! We have our NEWTs in _four_ months! Can you believe how close our exams are?'

While she was talking, Hermione pulled herself to her feet and brushed off her robes vigorously. I half-heartedly followed her out of the Tower downstairs. All the way back to the Common Room, we hardly spoke. Though I had finally realized how I really felt about Hermione, I knew she had yet to choose. Ron had hurt her deeply but it was he who was still her boyfriend. And me? Did Hermione kiss me last night because she needed some comforting? Was it teenage lust or something real?

_It might not be you she picks. _A small voice echoed in my head.

_Shut _up.

_What have you ever done for her? Apart from dragging her off on life-threatening adventures and getting her hurt._

_I…I…_

Hurtful as my brain was, I knew in my heart of hearts that it was right. Ron may not be as wealthy or as…_patient_ as I was but he definitely had something I didn't have: obscurity.

The scandalous attacks of Rita Skeeter had affected Hermione more deeply than she let on. If she was with me, we'd never have a day's peace without seeing our lives splashed on the front cover of Witch Weekly. But above all, there was Voldemort. Old Tom wasn't going to let me live happily ever after. Not without a fight. Even Trelawney couldn't predict the outcome of the Final Battle.

I silently added up the facts, my shoulders slumping at the conclusion. Hermione was better off with Ron. In spite of being a great, insensitive git, deep down, he cared about her. It just wasn't fair to make Hermione a grieving widow before 25 just to fulfill my selfish feelings.

_If you love her, you would let her go._

Strange. Now where did that come from? My cynical brain couldn't have come up with that.

'Harry?'

I looked up to see Hermione staring at me, her eyebrows knitted with concern.

ARGH! Not that! Oh God, she looks so gorgeous when she does that, I just want to… _Stop!_ I command my brain. _Think…clean…thoughts…_

'I'm fine, Hermione. I was just thinking about, err,…Quidditch, yeah, Quidditch.'

'You were totally spaced out just now, you know.'

'Oh.' I mumbled, feeling my face burn.

We stood in silence for a while, with me looking at my shoes while Hermione became deeply interested in the bird on the window ledge.

'Are you coming in, or are you here just to admire my brushwork?' interrupted a peevish voice. Hermione and I jumped at the Fat Lady's sardonic tones.

'Oh,' she added, glaring at Hermione, 'it's you. The one who tried to knock me out of my painting.'

Hermione flamed furiously. 'I'm really sorry, I was very upset at the time…'

She stopped as the Fat Lady waved a hand imperiously. 'Apology accepted. Now go in at a _respectable _pace, mind…' As she swung forward to let us in, we were thrown back with a roar of: 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU CALLED HER A MUDBLOOD?!'

Ginny came marching out of the portrait hole, her face almost as red as her hair. The Fat Lady swung back into place, looking a little dazed at that outburst. It took a while before Ginny realized that Hermione and I were standing right in front of her.

'Harry! Hermione! How's– Is it– So– Oh.'

Ginny cut herself off as her gaze traveled from me, to Hermione and to our fingers entwined together. We followed her gaze and blushed simultaneously. To tell the truth, I didn't even remember reaching for Hermione's hand. I guess it must have been a reflex action.

Ginny's reaction was something I had not factored in my initial equation. She hadn't completely got over her crush on me, nor our brief relationship last year. I fervently hoped that she wouldn't react too violently or anything of the sort.

To my surprise, Ginny shrugged, her face deliberately blank.

'It happens. Good luck, you two.'

'Ginny, wait! Hermione and I…'

She had already disappeared around the corner before I could finish my sentence. Just then, Colin and Dennis Creevey emerged.

'Hi, Harry, Hermione…Dennis, are you seeing what I think I'm seeing?'

'Absolutely, Colin.'

'We are gonna bankrupt the student population.'

'What do you mean, Colin?' cut in Hermione in her best prefect voice. 'It's, um, like this…' began Colin.

'Ever since we came to Hogwarts, we've been operating a betting pool.'

'A _what_?' I cannot believe this. Hermione looked similarly shocked, judging by the fact her mouth has dropped open.

'Betting pool. We take bets on events in school like the Triwizard Tournament, but the main running pool has been on relationships between other students.'

'It got pretty heated about two weeks ago when Ron and Hermione got together…'

'The Good Shippers were laughing themselves stupid and saying "I-told-you-so".'

Even as they spoke, the words tumbling out in a rush, Colin and Dennis were discreetly backing away from us. Without warning, they turned tail and fled. It was just as well their timing was spot on because two jets of light burned craters into the precise spots they had been standing.

I wasn't even aware of having my wand out, let alone having shot a spell at them. The secret training Professor Lupin had been giving me was showing.

'Hermione?'

I whirled around to see none other than Ron standing at the portrait hole looking a little worse for wear with dark circles around his eyes and messy hair to rival my unmanageable mane.

Hermione averted her eyes, staring a hole in the floor even as tears welled up in her eyes. I instinctively stepped in to relieve her.

'Haven't you done enough?' I challenged. Ron looked uncomfortable, shuffling his feet from side to side.

'I…I didn't mean to say that to you, Hermione…It just sort of slipped out…'

'The trouble with you, Weasley, is that you think aloud.' Ron's eyes flickered suddenly and he took a step towards me.

'What gives you the right to talk to me like that?'

'I'll talk to you in any damn way I like for what you did to Hermione…'

'Harry, that's quite enough.'

Hermione deliberately avoided my gaze, staring directly at Ron, who gave a small shrug and turned to her.

'I'm so sorry for what I said, Hermione. Will you forgive me?'

She took a deep breath and walked up to Ron. Wordlessly, she raised a hand and delivered a tight slap onto his right cheek which snapped his head to the side.

Ron winced and rubbed his rapidly swelling cheek.

'Ow…I guess I deserved that. Now I know how Malfoy felt.'

Hermione's lips quirked.

'That was for calling me a Mudblood. And this is to answer your question.'

She threw her arms around Ron's neck and hugged him briefly. Ron looked greatly relieved as she drew away from him.

'So…can we go back to the way we were?' he asked with a tinge of hope.

The tension in the air was so thick, it could have been cut with a knife. I could barely breathe, feeling as though my whole life was hinging on Hermione's answer. Ron shoved his hands into his pockets in a surprisingly casual gesture.

'I'm sorry, Ron.'

Hermione slipped her hand into mine and my heart skipped a beat as I looked into her beautiful hazel eyes.

'I still love you, Ron, but not in that way. It took me some time to realize that and I'm sorry for that.'

Ron shrugged helplessly, taking his rejection graciously. 'It's alright. I totally understand after all that and…yeah.' He gestured vaguely down the empty corridor. 'So…I'm going down for breakfast now and I guess I'll be seeing you guys later.'

He walked off and Hermione and I were left alone in front of the Fat Lady's empty portrait, the former most likely gossiping with her friend Vi.

'So…' I began, not daring to believe Hermione returned my feelings.

She smiled that bewitching smile of hers and I immediately forgot what I meant to say.

**Author's Note: **Yay! That is the FINAL chapter of The Argument! Hope you liked it, people! I will be posting the first chapter of my new fic tomorrow or the day after. And that is a PROMISE.


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